CBSE to Conduct Class 10 Board Exams Twice a Year from 2026, Offering Flexibility to Students

New Delhi- The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) unveiled a significant modification to its examination structure on Tuesday, announcing plans to conduct Class 10 board exams twice yearly beginning in 2026.

Under this new framework, the initial examination period will commence on the first Tuesday after February 15 annually and conclude by March 6. The second examination window will run from May 5 to May 20. This arrangement provides students with the flexibility to attempt either one or both examinations, with the opportunity to improve their performance in the second sitting if desired.

CBSE has published the draft proposal on its official website for public review, inviting feedback from stakeholders including educational institutions, educators, parents, students, and the general public until March 9. Following this consultation period, responses will be analyzed before finalizing the policy.

The restructured examination format will encompass 84 subjects over a 34-day period, with an estimated 26.60 lakh students expected to participate in the 2026 Class 10 assessments. CBSE has organized subjects into four distinct categories, with elective subjects including Science, Mathematics, and Social Science, while the regional and foreign language group will feature options such as French, Sanskrit, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati, and Spanish, among others.

This reform aligns with the Ministry of Education's directive to introduce greater flexibility and student choice while reducing examination pressure. The Ministry emphasized that assessments should primarily evaluate core capacities rather than rote memorization. The new approach aims to eliminate the necessity for supplementary coaching classes by making examinations more accessible to students who consistently attend school and demonstrate basic effort.

Additional reforms may include the development of annual, semester, or modular examination models to better distribute assessment pressure throughout the secondary education stage.

The proposed changes were discussed during a significant meeting chaired by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, underscoring the government's commitment to transforming the educational assessment landscape.